By Zaki Salleh
IPOH: The land of the former MAPS (Movie Animation Park Studios) theme park, which previously became controversial after its closure, has been purchased by a property company, IGB Bhd.
IGB Bhd reportedly bought two freehold land parcels totaling 9.83 hectares, the former theme park site located in Bandar Meru Raya, for RM43.65 million.
According to a report by The Edge, the purchase was made through IGB’s wholly owned indirect subsidiary, Bintang Sentral Sdn Bhd (BSSB).
The acquisition is still subject to approval from the Ministry of Economy and the state authorities for the land transfer process.
IGB expects these approvals to be obtained within six months after the sale and purchase agreement is signed.
If everything goes according to plan, the transaction is expected to be completed in the second half of 2026.
The company believes the land has strong potential for mixed commercial development, aligning with their expertise in urban and commercial development projects.
The MAPS project, announced in early 2014 with a cost of RM520 million, was officially opened on June 26, 2017.
However, it was closed in less than three years due to financial issues.
When it first opened, MAPS was said to be a new tourist attraction for Perak, especially Ipoh, but unfortunately that did not materialize.
A sale notice for MAPS was published in a local newspaper in 2022.
Perak Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad, stated in 2024 that the Perak government no longer has any involvement with the MAPS project, which is in the process of being demolished.
He said the theme park, closed since January 28, 2020, is now under the ownership of a liquidator.
